Nigerian-Led Dance Troupe ‘Diversity’ clinches Britain’s Got Talent Title
Posted on Monday, June 1st, 2009 at 12:29 am
By Bella
With the world watching, dance troupe ‘Diversity‘ clinched the Britain’s Got Talent title from hot favourite Susan Boyle this weekend. What has this got to do with us you ask? Well, its time for us to start claiming! The 11-member troupe was led by lead dancer and choreographer British-Nigerian Ashely Banjo, his brother Jordan Banjo is also a member while Nigerian-Born Ike Ezekwugo is the final Nigerian link in the troupe. While Ike was born in Nigeria and migrated to the UK, Ashley and Jordan are children of Nigerian, Funso Banjo, a former boxer and now a successful businessman and his British wife, Danielle – a former dancer with the Royal Ballet. The troupe performed an energetic and captivating routine that thrilled the crowd and wowed viewers. The British press is already enamored with the young dancers as they are being championed as positive role models for Black Youth in the UK. According to Ashley, ‘My education matters to me…As far back as I can remember, my parents drummed into me the importance of doing well at school. I’m not going to be spinning on my head when I’m 50, but as a qualified scientist I can always earn a living’. Ashley is currently studying Natural Science at Queen Mary University, Jordan is studying for his GCSEs and is already predicted top results while Ike will graduate with his Human Resource qualification soon.
Check out Diversity’s performance at the Britain’s Got Talent Finale below. Wishing them all the best! They truly deserve the £100,000 cash prize and performance in front of the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance in November.
Oh, and btw.. talking of street dancers, in this years competition in London, to my memory, the strongest groups were Koreans and Russians.. so.. I just think it’s great this group is DIVERSIFIED, everyone there looks different and comes from different backgrounds! It is time we stop thinking and concentrating on our nationalities, but on the WORLD, putting aside national pride and being proud of being WORLD CITIZENS, cause this is what Diversity is!
We all may be citizens of this great BIG world, but we need to divide the world in order to manage it, hence the creation of nations. It’s a bit like suggesting companies shouldn’t have departments and schools shouldn’t have classes?
I would attribute their success not to them being Nigerian or not (nationality does not breed talent) but to their parents, and specially mother!! If your mother is a dancer in Royal Ballet.. doesn’t that say something?? Why is no-one giving credit to her, she was probably who got the sons dancing and choreographing!
As to how i see things,from every perspective,we take credit because there are some Nigerians in the group,thats natural to us in a way and perhaps it would affect positively on us,in another angle,they were awesome street dancers with perfect choreo and super innovative moves,ive watched so many of them(as im sure a lot of wanna be dancers on Malta guiness have) and you can only give kudos.im just proud some of them are Nigerians and i take pleasure in that!
All I know was these kids entertained me very well. So happy for them!
Funny though, the first time they were on the show and they talked about studying to be scientist or physicist, HR and taking exams….we passed a joke at home that these kids MUST have 9ja blood somewhere in them, to be sooo into education….you know a degree is what every 9ja child owes her parents……lol. After that you can become Beyonce or Usher for all they care.
Talent is talent jare…black or white e no mata!
The sad thing about this whole unneccessary argument is that it has completely taken the spotlight away from what BN was trying to showcase in the first place ” Talent ” so whether they are half nigerian, full nigerian, british born or whatever it doesn’t even make a difference………Nigerian people need to stop hating on other nigerians and just appreciate btw only sad people look for the bad in everything so check yourselves.
How do you guys know that they don’t know about Nigeria? Is it because their mother is white that you don’t classify them as Nigerians. Based on this logic, any child of Nigerian parentage not living in Nigeria should never claim any ties to Nigeria. If BOTH their mother and father were Nigerians most of you would not have a problem with Bella’s claims.
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Hey! you guys should not forget we had another Nigerian ‘talent’ the human saxophonist hahaha…Kay Oresanya.
Oh, and btw.. talking of street dancers, in this years competition in London, to my memory, the strongest groups were Koreans and Russians.. so.. I just think it’s great this group is DIVERSIFIED, everyone there looks different and comes from different backgrounds! It is time we stop thinking and concentrating on our nationalities, but on the WORLD, putting aside national pride and being proud of being WORLD CITIZENS, cause this is what Diversity is!
We all may be citizens of this great BIG world, but we need to divide the world in order to manage it, hence the creation of nations. It’s a bit like suggesting companies shouldn’t have departments and schools shouldn’t have classes?
I would attribute their success not to them being Nigerian or not (nationality does not breed talent) but to their parents, and specially mother!! If your mother is a dancer in Royal Ballet.. doesn’t that say something?? Why is no-one giving credit to her, she was probably who got the sons dancing and choreographing!
As to how i see things,from every perspective,we take credit because there are some Nigerians in the group,thats natural to us in a way and perhaps it would affect positively on us,in another angle,they were awesome street dancers with perfect choreo and super innovative moves,ive watched so many of them(as im sure a lot of wanna be dancers on Malta guiness have) and you can only give kudos.im just proud some of them are Nigerians and i take pleasure in that!
All I know was these kids entertained me very well. So happy for them!
Funny though, the first time they were on the show and they talked about studying to be scientist or physicist, HR and taking exams….we passed a joke at home that these kids MUST have 9ja blood somewhere in them, to be sooo into education….you know a degree is what every 9ja child owes her parents……lol. After that you can become Beyonce or Usher for all they care.
Talent is talent jare…black or white e no mata!
Nice article bella! lets celebrate nigerians globally! http://www.naijaborn.com
What’s the argument all about? the guys were great, end of story.
ha ha. i swear people are so overly sensitive about Nigerian/non nigerian heritage.
The sad thing about this whole unneccessary argument is that it has completely taken the spotlight away from what BN was trying to showcase in the first place ” Talent ” so whether they are half nigerian, full nigerian, british born or whatever it doesn’t even make a difference………Nigerian people need to stop hating on other nigerians and just appreciate btw only sad people look for the bad in everything so check yourselves.
How do you guys know that they don’t know about Nigeria? Is it because their mother is white that you don’t classify them as Nigerians. Based on this logic, any child of Nigerian parentage not living in Nigeria should never claim any ties to Nigeria. If BOTH their mother and father were Nigerians most of you would not have a problem with Bella’s claims.